


The Wound

by hamlittlelion



Category: The Goldfinch (2019), The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-20 05:56:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20670437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hamlittlelion/pseuds/hamlittlelion
Summary: After Boris is shot in Amsterdam, Theo and he rush back to the hotel. Boris is need of wound care.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Depictions of a bleeding wound are written below.  
This is just some filler I thought of after watching the movie. Hoping to write more and read the book...

The hotel halls were surprisingly dimly lit. You’d think in this day and age they’d be a little brighter. However, this was not the case and maybe it was for the best - at least Boris felt it might be. At least with this dim lighting, you couldn’t see the blood seeping through his clothes. You couldn’t see the way his skin was paler than usual. It could work to his advantage, he figured, because then Theo wouldn’t get too stressed out looking at him. Boris continued to shuffle down the hall, his hand clasped at his right shoulder where he’d been shot only half an hour prior. Meanwhile, Theo clung his arm to Boris’ thin waist and helped him down the hall. Though he quickly let go as they arrived to his hotel room.

The russian man watched the American boy rush to his door, fumbling with the keycard and attempting to slide it into the thin slot. Boris couldn't help the grin of amusement that rose to his face. Even in the face of urgency… Potter was Potter.

"Please, take your time, Potter. I'm only bleeding." He said sarcastically, grin plastered still. 

"Shut the fuck up." Theo growled towards him as he finally managed to open the door. He held it open, gesturing for Boris to hurry over. 

Boris shuffled in, hands flinging to the edges of his multiple coats to remove them. His shoulder stung at the simple motions. "Shit! Fuck!" He cursed with pain as he let his coats sink to the ground. He almost wanted to follow along. Though he continued moving forward, looking at his reflection in the mirror that hung in the main room. He turned to look at his backside - searching for an exit wound but found none. _ Fuck. _ He began unbuttoning his shirt, looking back towards Theo who was rushing to the bathroom in search of towels and a first aid kit. 

He sighed, letting his button down drop. He quickly moved to the minibar in desperate need of something to drink and something to disinfect the wound. Theo showed up in that moment, eyes bulging behind his glasses. 

Boris grabbed the small bottles of vodka and quickly made for the bed. "Potter… the bullet never exited. You will need to dig it out." He instructed, opening one of the small bottles. He could drink it in one gulp if he wanted however, some of this would be needed for his wound. He looked at Theo, offering him the bottle first only to be met with surprise as Theo declined. 

"We should go to a hospital, I can't do this. I can't." He whispered, standing in front of Boris.

Boris only blinked, laughing after a few seconds. "Oh Potter… please. I would only trust you to do this. Come on."

"No! No!" He suddenly shouted. The echo of his yell startling the both of them. Theo paused and shook his head. "We need to go to a hospital."

Boris watched him and slowly shook his head. "Theo." His name almost felt foreign as he said it aloud but he knew it'd speak to the gravity of the situation. "I cannot go to a hospital. We cannot." He said firmly.

Theo felt his lips quivering. He felt useless, weak… This was all really his fault. If he hadn't taken that painting… None of this would be happening - yet again, many of the wonderful things in his life wouldn't have happened including having met up with Boris again. Including their trip to this foreign country. "Ok." He whispered, stepping in front of Boris, standing between the man's open legs. He set aside all of his stuff except the towels. 

He began to gently pat at the bleeding wound. It seemed so large yet once the blood had been wiped clean… Theo could see just how small it was. It was incredible that something so tiny had ripped through him so easily. As he stood there, observing the wound - his eyes wandered across Boris’ chest at all the scars. Some were older, dating perhaps to when they were kids… While others were more recent - large and paler than his normal skin. How often had he been through this? Was this so normal that the pain in his shoulder was nothing?

Boris took in a deep inhale then quickly downed one of the small bottles of vodka. “Ok. Do it.” He said, staring past Theo as he readied for the impending pain of the bullet search. When it came, it took everything within Boris not to punch or kick Theo away. Instead, he opted for a painful yell before slamming his mouth shut and grinding his teeth. Once the bullet was out, Theo lathered the wound in vodka - the burning pain wasn’t any better for Boris’. The rest seemed to go by in a blur to the Russian man. Next thing he knew, Theo was wrapping bandages around his shoulder and tossing the bloodied towels to the floor. 

Boris glanced down at his shoulder and gave Theo a faint grin. “I should call you Doctor Potter from now on.” He whispered as he began to feel the complete exit of adrenaline.

“How can you just joke about this.” Stated Theo rhetorically. 

“This isn’t a joke. I’m very serious.” Boris retorted as he crawled into the middle of Theo’s bed. The comforter was large and fluffy, perfectly pristine and white. Boris could only hope that he wouldn’t bleed too much or else the room service might be very concerned tomorrow. “C’mere.” He whispered as he pat the empty spot beside him on the bed.

Theo simply stood there, blinking at him.

It’d been years since they’d shared a bed. Ten or so years, actually. The concept was distant. Yet, Boris looked the same as in his eyes as he invited Theo to lie down with him. As if not a damn day had gone by - as if nothing had changed at all. And that - that was the closest he’d felt to home in a long time. 

Theo crawled into the bed, body curling and facing Boris. Both their eyes met, both their lips sealed in silence as if they both realized just how long it’d been. That was the thing, wasn’t it? That they didn’t even have to say a word and they both knew what the other was thinking.

Boris stretched out a hand towards Theo’s - grasping gently. Theo trembled at the touch, shoulders shuddering slightly at how much he’d missed it. How much he’d longed for it ever since reuniting with his long lost friend. 

“It’ll be okay, Potter.” Whispered Boris just as he fell asleep. 


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo struggles to fall asleep after helping Boris with his wound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy. Effy left this prompt on the previous chapter! Thank you Effy for the prompt!

Theo had kept his glasses on, unable to sleep as thoughts whirled through his mind of the day. He and Boris had traveled so far to get this painting back. The sleeping man beside him ad worked so hard to make things right with Theo. However, just when they thought they’d been closer to getting that painting… Just feet away from it… It was snatched away. The snatch of that precious briefcase felt like what Theo would imagine getting his heart ripped out would be like. He scrunched his eyes shut, wincing as the memory replayed through his mind like a broken record. His mind replayed the moment repeatedly and soon enough so did his other memories - the very last ones of his mother. What was that saying? Oh right:  _ When it rains - it pours. _ And right now, there was a hurricane wracking through Theo’s mind. He felt like a child, abandoned in the middle of an awful storm with no where to go or hide. All he could do was sit there and grind his teeth together to keep from crying out.

_ Why did I take that fucking painting? Why? Why? _

The bespeckled man twisted on his side, curling himself further into fetal position as if to hide himself from the hurricane of memories. He was deep in it and he wasn’t sure if there was a way out of this one. How to get out of something so horrible? Breaking through the hurricane was a soft and pained groan - very suddenly, the hurricane froze in place and Theo was able to open his eyes. When he opened, tears streamed out, though he never meant for them to come out. He swallowed as he searched the darkness until finally landing his gaze on Boris who was shifting beside him.

“Shit… that hurts…” Whispered Boris as he rolled onto his back with a whine. His left hand pushed away the comforter as he felt a layer of sweat forming on his bare chest. The curly haired man turned his head, opening his eyes to look towards Theo. He caught his gaze and smiled faintly at the dirty blonde. “Potter… why you still have your glasses on?” He asked, voice groggy with sleep.

Theo simply stared at him in silence, lip quivering as he tried to keep a sob from emerging. He hoped that the darkness might mask his expression but it was all for naught. They knew each other too well to hide behind a thin veil of darkness. This was easy to forget after ten years of being apart from each other - at least for Theo. The bespeckled boy had simply forgotten what it was like to be so understood… So connected. Boris, however, could never forget that. The deep connection kept him going - it brought him to New York and it brought him to Amsterdam. Nonetheless, the curly haired man could see the pale man’s lips drawn into a thin frown. This was enough for him to act.

Boris pushed himself up on his elbow with a groan and looked down at Theo. “Potter… Potter, it’s okay.” He whispered, his hand reaching up to touch Theo’s cheek. Theo flinched at first but quickly melted into the touch with a shaky sigh. The Ukranian boy frowned, cupping his cheek gently, thumb tracing faint shapes into his skin. “It’s okay… It’s okay. I am here, Potter. You must sleep.” He whispered, hand rising to Theo’s glasses to remove them.

Theo pushed his hand away lightly and shook his head. He looked at Boris, holding his gaze the best he could through the darkness and his own tears. "Im… Okay." He said gently. "Your scars… Where are they from?" He asked as he moved his mind to focus on something else. The first thing that came to mind were the scars he’d noted while cleaning up his bullet wound. 

The curly haired man lied still beside him, still propped up on his elbow. "Very good stories…" he whispered, smiling. He grabbed Theo's hand and pressed it to a large scar just below his left clavicle. It was rigid and round in the middle, with smaller scars littered around it almost like a sun with small rays."This one is from shotgun. Big man waltz into our bar and think that something so big will harm anyone from a distance!" He said with a strange excitement, tracing Theo's hand along his scar. "Size only matters in few things, Potter." He whispered teasingly. Theo rolled his eyes at the remark, his gaze had been glued to Boris' face but he shifted them to look at the scar. 

Boris then moved Theo's hand out towards his left bicep. This scar was a circle, the skin was a little rough. "This one from my father… I am sure you remember him." He whispered with a faint smile. "Very loving and kind man." He whispered, with slight sarcasm. He had a few like these along his arm - cigar burns. Boris paused a moment, memory trailing to the many years he had spent with his father long after Theo had left. 

He blinked slowly and looked down at his torso, moving Theo's hand back towards his chest near his ribs. A long horizontal scar lined near the bottom of his rib cage. "This one is a stab wound… Betrayed by one of my people." He said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "It is a shame, he was very good at his job." He looked at Theo now who had been silent the whole time. "He is alive, don't worry." Replied Boris quickly, not wanting to scare Theo despite knowing that Theo had seen and heard much worse. Nonetheless, he couldn’t bear the thought of Theo being afraid of him or even thinking poorly of him.

Theo gave a nod and brief smile. His breathing and mind had calmed as he listened to the other's stories. The way his bony hand held his own plusher one and traced along his skin grounded him. He yawned a little and moved his eyes along his chest then towards his fresh wound that was still bandaged up. He felt relieved that it hadn’t bled much, perhaps he’d done a good job at cleaning it out - finally he was helpful. Boris watched him, staying quiet as he observed the dirty blonde haired man before him.

“This one?” Theo whispered as he moved his hand along Boris’ skin, up his neck to a small horizontal scar. 

Boris swallowed as he felt his breath hitch in his throat at the touch. He blinked a few times as he recalled the memory, finally smiling as he began to tell the story. “When I first started in the business… I fuck up badly and this was warning.” He said softly, his hand holding Theo’s as he traced along the scar. 

Theo hummed in response, eyes blinking slowly as they felt heavy with sleep.

Boris smiled, listening as Theo’s breathing deepened as he fell asleep. The pale man slowly slid Theo’s hand away and onto the bed. Lastly, he reached for Theo’s glasses and pulled them off his face. He folded them gently and set them aside. Boris watched Theo for a moment then finally scooted closer to Theo, placing a kiss on his forehead - lips lingering on his warm skin for a moment. He smiled to himself as he pulled away, freezing when Theo mumbled. 

“What was that, Potter?” He whispered, leaning his ear closer to Theo.

Theo pried his heavy eyes open, as he whispered. “Hold me…” 

Boris smiled to himself, laying on the bed and pulling Theo into his chest. Theo hummed, pushing his face into Boris’ skin. Soon enough, Boris closed his eyes and fell asleep as well. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to drop some prompts in the comments or I can drop my discord if some people would find that easier. I love writing about these two.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to send in some requests/writing prompts!


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